Warren Buffett built Berkshire Hathaway into somethingremarkable— and Fortune journalist Carol Loomis had a front-rowseat for it all. When Carol Loomis first mentioned a little-known Omaha hedge fundmanager in a 1966 Fortune article, she didn’t dream that WarrenBuffett would one day be considered the world’s greatestinvestor—nor that she and Buffett would quickly become closepersonal friends. As Buf?fett’s fortune and reputation grew overtime, Loomis used her unique insight into Buffett’s thinking tochronicle his work for Fortune, writ?ing and proposing scores ofstories that tracked his many accomplishments—and also hisocca?sional mistakes. Now Loomis has collected and updated the best Buffett articlesFortune published between 1966 and 2012, including thirteen coverstories and a dozen pieces authored by Buffett himself. Loomis hasprovided commentary about each major arti?cle that supplies contextand her own informed point of view. Readers will gain freshinsights into Buffett’s investment

The LNCS series reports state-of-the-art results in computer science research, development, and education, at a high level and in both printed and electronic form. Enjoying tight cooperation with the R&D community,with numerous individuals, as well as with prestigious organizations and societies, LNCS has grown into the most comprehensive computer science research forum available. The scope of LNCS, including its subseries LNAI, spans the whole range of computer science and information technology including interdisciplinary topics in a variety of application fields. The type of material published traditionally includes - proceedings (published in time for the respective conference) - post-proceedings (consisting of thoroughly revised final full papers) - research m0nographs (which may be based on outstanding PhD work,research projects, technical reports, etc.)

In these tough economic times, everyone isexpected to produce more with less. And yet, studies have shownthat on average, employees are working at only a fraction of theirpotential. What are managers to do? How can they inspire theirpeople to perform at their absolute best? Whatever the situation, agood manager can quickly organize a group of average performersinto a high-functioning team capable of achieving tremendousresults for the company. The secret is knowing how and anyone canlearn. In "Full Engagement!", business success expert Brian Tracyshows managers how they can supercharge their employees' efforts.Packed with powerful, practical ideas and strategies, thiseyeopening guide explains how to: unlock the potential of eachperson; motivate and inspire employees to peak performance; triggerthe 'X Factor' that maximizes productivity; drive out the fearsthat hold people back; create a high-trust work environment; setclear goals and objectives; and, recognize, reward, and reinforcein a way that energi

American capitalism is in dire straits, caught in a perilouspattern of increasing volatility, decreasing investor returns, andongoing bad behavior by executives. And it's getting worse. Sincethe turn of the twenty-first century, we've seen two massivevalue-destroying market meltdowns and a string of ethics breaches,including accounting scandals, options-backdating schemes, and thesubprime mortgage debacle. Just what is going on here? Is it theinevitable decline of the American economy? Is it the new normal ina technology-enabled global marketplace? Or is it possible that thevery theories we've embraced to underpin our capital markets areactually producing these crises? In "Fixing the Game", Roger Martinreveals the culprit behind the sorry state of American capitalism:our deep and abiding commitment to the idea that the purpose of thefirm is to maximize shareholder value. This theory has led to amassive growth in stock-based compensation for executives and,through this, to a naive and wrongheaded linkin

One of the world s leading creative artists， choreographers， and creator of the smash-hit Broadway show， Movin Out， shares her secrets for developing and honing your creative talents at once prescriptive and inspirational， a book to stand alongside The Artist s Way and Bird by Bird. All it takes to make creativity a part of your life is the willingness to make it a habit. It is the product of preparation and effort， and is within reach of everyone. Whether you are a painter， musician， businessperson， or simply an individual yearning to put your creativity to use， The Creative Habit provides you with thirty-two practical exercises based on the lessons Twyla Tharp has learned in her remarkable thirty-five-year career. In "Where's Your Pencil?" Tharp reminds you to observe the world -- and get it down on paper. In "Coins and Chaos，" she gives you an easy way to restore order and peace. In "Do a Verb，" she turns your mind and body into coworkers. In "Build a Bridge to the Next Day

Now nearing its 60th printing in English and translated into nineteen languages, Michael E. Porter's Competitive Strategy has transformed the theory, practice, and teaching of business strategy throughout the world. Electrifying in its simplicity -- like all great breakthroughs -- Porter's analysis of industries captures the complexity of industry competition in five underlying forces. Porter introduces one of the most powerful competitive tools yet developed: his three generic strategies -- lowest cost, differentiation, and focus -- which bring structure to the task of strategic positioning. He shows how competitive advantage can be defined in terms of relative cost and relative prices, thus linking it directly to profitability, and presents a whole new perspective on how profit is created and divided. In the almost two decades since publication, Porter's framework for predicting competitor behavior has transformed the way in which companies look at their rivals and has given rise to the new discipline of co

Most distribution channels are outdated and unwieldy, servingneither customers nor channel partners adequately. Despite newtechnologies that have streamlined many transactions and processes,a general lack of leadership combined with flawed and deeplyingrained structures make distribution channels exceedinglydifficult to change. What companies need, says V. Kasturi Rangan, is a new approach togoing to market—"channel stewardship"—that simultaneously addressescustomers’ best interests and drives profits for all channelpartners. In Transforming Your Go-to-Market Strategy, Rangan showshow any member of a distribution channel can adopt this role andlearn how to shape an effective, constantly evolving, and mutuallybeneficial channel strategy. This book outlines three disciplines that companies must masterto navigate the complex distribution environment successfully: mapthe industry channel, build and edit one’s own channel continuouslyto best serve customers, and align and influence one

From the teacher and mentor of TimFerris ("The 4-Hour Workweek") comes a revolutionary money-makingmethod for budding entrepreneurs: license a simple idea and letothers do the work.

Mark Twain once observed, “A lie can get halfway around theworld before the truth can even get its boots on.” His observationrings true: Urban legends, conspiracy theories, and boguspublic-health scares circulate effortlessly. Meanwhile, people withimportant ideas–business people, teachers, politicians,journalists, and others–struggle to make their ideas “stick.” Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improvethe chances of worthy ideas? In Made to Stick , accomplishededucators and idea collectors Chip and Dan Heath tackle head-onthese vexing questions. Inside, the brothers Heath reveal theanatomy of ideas that stick and explain ways to make ideasstickier, such as applying the “human scale principle,” using the“Velcro Theory of Memory,” and creating “curiosity gaps.” In this indispensable guide, we discover that sticky messages ofall kinds–from the infamous “kidney theft ring” hoax to a coach’slessons on sportsmanship to a vision for a new p

Winnerofthe2010PulitzerPrize "Amagisterialwork...Youcan'thelpthinkingabouttheeconomiccrisiswe'relivingthroughnow."--TheNewYorkTimesBookReview ItiscommonlybelievedthattheGreatDepressionthatbeganin1929resultedfromaconfluenceofeventsbeyondanyoneperson'sorgovernment'scontrol.Infact,asLiaquatAhamedreveals,itwasthedecisionsmadebyasmallnumberofcentralbankersthatweretheprimarycauseofthateconomicmeltdown,theeffectsofwhichsetthestageforWorldWarIIandreverberatedfordecades.Asyetanotherperiodofeconomicturmoilmakesheadlinestoday,LordsofFinanceisapotentreminderoftheenormousimpactthatthedecisionsofcentralbankerscanhave,theirfallibility,andtheterriblehumanconsequencesthatcanresultwhentheyarewrong.

Actors specialize in the skills you need to excel at interviews: self-confidence, verbal communication and body language, and knowing how to project the desired image. Here, the directors of a consulting firm that applies acting techniques to success in the business world share a step-by-step training program to help you ace your own "audition." You'll learn trade secrets for conquering stage fright, how to research the "role" you're applying for, how to look the part, how to deal with job-hunting stress--and how to use simple exercises for effective verbal and physical communication. With each interview, the curtain rises on a new opportunity. With the seven steps in this book, you can get ready to take a bow!

Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln's political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become president. On May 18, 1860, William H. Seward, Salmon P. Chase, Edward Bates, and Abraham Lincoln waited in their hometowns for the results from the Republican National Convention in Chicago. When Lincoln emerged as the victor, his rivals were dismayed and angry. Throughout the turbulent 1850s, each had energetically sought the presidency as the conflict over slavery was leading inexorably to secession and civil war. That Lincoln succeeded, Goodwin demonstrates, was the result of a character that had been forged by experiences that raised him above his more privileged and accomplished rivals. He won because he possessed an extraordinary ability to put himself in the place of other men, to experience what they were feeling, to understand their motives and desires

Zeroing in on the specific skills that make great managersstand out from the pack, this comprehensive guide is both anessential primer for new managers and a valuable resource forseasoned executives. From hiring and retaining good people tomotivating and developing team members, from understanding keyfinancial statements to delegating work effectively, and fromsetting goals for others to managing your own career, thisactionable guide walks readers through every aspect of managing ina complex business world. Filled with practical tools and tips,this essential toolkit helps managers to stay at the top of theirgame.

A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principalcharacteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact;and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appearless random, and more predictable, than it was. The astonishingsuccess of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. For NassimNicholas Taleb, black swans underlie almost everything about ourworld, from the rise of religions to events in our own personallives. Why do we not acknowledge the phenomenon of black swans untilafter they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, is thathumans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should be focusedon generalities. We concentrate on things we already know and timeand time again fail to take into consideration what we don’t know.We are, therefore, unable to truly estimate opportunities, toovulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate, and categorize, andnot open enough to rewarding those who can imagine the“impossible.” For years, Taleb has studi

Drive bottom-line results with a powerful company cultureCompanies with strong corporate cultures aren't just good places towork. Powerful corporate cultures have very real payoffs foreveryone involved: employees, shareholders, and stakeholders alike.Culture Connection explains how you can outperform you peers by,first, viewing culture as the organization's most valuable asset,then using it as a strategic competitive advantage to driveresults. Parker explains how values and behaviors play a key rolein making corporate cultures successful; describes how to createthe leadership required to build and maintain the right culture;and offers best practices for measurement and alignment,recruitment and retention, training and development, compensationand benefits, and corporate social responsibility. Marty Parker isthe president, CEO, and founder of Waterstone Human Capital, anexecutive search, professional recruitment, and human capitalconsulting firm. Parker founded "Canada's 10 Most Admired CorporateCulture

Customize your delivery for maximum persuasive power. If you need the best practices and ideas for communicatingeffectively--but don't have time to find them--this book is foryou. Here are 10 inspiring and useful perspectives, all in oneplace. This collection of HBR articles will help you: - Pitch your brilliant idea successfully - Connect with your audience - Establish credibility - Inspire others to realize your vision - Adapt to your listeners' decision-making styles - Frame goals around common interests - Build consensus and win concessions - Neutralize stressful conversations

HowtoGetIdeasshowsyou--nomatteryourageorskill,yourjobortraining--howtocomeupwithmoreideas,fasterandeasier.First,JackFostertellsyouhowtoconditionyourmindandbecome"idea-prone;"howtomakethechildwithinyouandyoursenseofhumorworkforyou;howtodevelopyourcuriosity,visualizeyourgoals,rethinkyourthinking,combinedifferentideas,andovercomeyourfearofrejection.Then,Fostergivesyouafive-stepprocedureforsolvingproblemsandgettingideas,aprovenprocedurethattakesthemysteryandanxietyoutoftheidea-generatingprocess,aprocedurethatworks.Learnhoweasyitistobecomemorecreative.Readthebookyou'reholding.